Forever Autumn
by Darthanne
Summary: While spending time apart, Quatre and Trowa reminisce. ( 3x4, 2xH, CxOC )


Forever Autumn

By Anne Olsen

Authors notes: This fic was written for Rachel's - - fic contest. In accordance with the 'rules' the fic had contain three of the following five elements (this one has all five), autumn, cats, green, the ocean and New York City.

While this story is set in a canon based universe, it's not part of the Outlasting Time arc, *grins but the 2xH pairing probably clues you in on that anyway.

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belong to Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency. I promise to return when I'm finished.

Thanks to: Bast for talking me into entering the contest/writing the fic, and then beta reading it for me. Rachel for hosting/coming up with the idea of the contest in the first place. 

Archive: Shades and Echoes 

Pairings: 3x4, 2xH, CxOC

Rating/Warnings: PG 13. Romance, angst, humour

Summary: While spending time apart, Quatre and Trowa reminisce. 

Feedback to : anneo @ paradise.net.nz

******

The summer sun is fading as the year grows old,

And darker days are drawing near,

The winter winds will be much colder,

Now you're not here.

I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky,

And one by one they disappear,

I wish that I was flying with them,

Now you're not here.

Like the sun through the trees you came to love me

Like a leaf on the breeze you blew away.

Through autumn's golden gown we used to kick our way

You always love this time of year,

Thus fallen leaves lie undisturbed now.

Cause you're not here

Cause you're not here

Cause you're not here

A gentle rain falls softly on my weary eyes

As if to hide a lonely tear,

My life will be forever autumn,

Cause you're not here. 

~ Forever Autumn, from Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds'. 

=============================================================

Quatre pulled his coat around him tightly and shivered, unsure of whether the chill he felt was from the coldness of the air or because he was alone. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to wander this deserted beach so early in the morning. But a part of him needed time to think in an attempt to work his way through the loneliness which had been gnawing at him since Trowa had left. 

Although they spoke on the phone every day it wasn't the same without his lover by his side. The bed they shared, while just the right size for two, now seemed so very empty. Adagio, the tiny grey tabby they'd adopted shortly after moving in together seemed to sense the different atmosphere permeating the cottage, and tried to help in her own way, but it wasn't enough. In fact it only served to accentuate and remind him of the situation. 

"You miss him too, don't you?" Quatre had whispered to the cat, absently stroking her chin and behind her ears, the same way that Trowa did when she was restless. Trowa had a way with animals; they relaxed around him. _The same way I have_, he thought. The first time they'd met, both Gundam pilots had reached out to each other, somehow sensing a kindred spirit, a soul mate, to begin a friendship which had later blossomed into love. 

He picked up a stick, throwing it into the ocean, and stopping for a few moments to watch the dead branch float in a funeral procession of one on the early morning tide. The sea seemed angry, its usual multi-coloured depths, murky and grey, reflecting the fading warmth of the sun beginning its journey across the sky into an autumn which would soon turn to winter. 

A smile crossed his lips as he remembered the last time he'd walked this shoreline. The last time he and Trowa had walked it together. It had still been summer then, with a gentle sea breeze whipping through their hair and pulling at their clothes before they'd broken into a run to chase each other across the sand. Two young men seemingly without a care in the world, their laughter catching the wind in an echo of the joy and enthusiasm they experienced being in each other's company. 

Panting, and slightly out of breath, they'd collapsed into an embrace on the water's edge, content to sit in silence and watch the ebb and flow of the tide. "The sea reminds me of life, Cat," Trowa had told him. "There are high and low points, but the tide always comes home to its rightful place on the shore. Sometimes, like today, its so smooth that if I close my eyes I can imagine we could walk on its surface as though crossing a sheet of thin ice, other times so rough it scares me."

Quatre had turned to meet his lover's gaze, in awe of the sheer poetry of his words. "The rough times don't have to be scary, if you have someone to share them with," he replied softly. His eyes filled with tears, and Trowa gently wiped them before they could fall. 

"Are you okay?" 

"Poetry always reaches out and touches me, in much the same way music does," Quatre smiled ruefully. "I suppose when you think about it, that's what poetry is, the music of language." _And our relationship is the music of love._

Shortly afterwards had come the call from Cathy which had changed everything. 

Quatre sighed. At the time he'd known it had been the right thing to do, but he hadn't expected it to be so damn hard. Cathy had needed her brother, and with what had happened it was better that Trowa go alone. 

After all, it would only be for a few days, a week at the most. That had been almost two months ago. 

He knew a lot of couples spent longer than two months apart at times and hell he and Trowa had even done the same at various points of their relationship, but it hadn't made this time any easier to handle. Maybe it was the situation surrounding these circumstances which had put a different spin on it? Cathy and Justin had thought they'd had all the rest of their lives, but they hadn't. Losing someone close had a way of making you aware of your own mortality. 

As Gundam pilots, their lives had been in danger on a daily basis, yet it was something none of them had allowed themselves to contemplate. Even now death was something they didn't talk about, even though they'd contributed to enough of it. 

Justin's death had made Quatre realise that living each day as though it were your last was a philosophy with more merit than he'd originally given it credit for. And that thought had grown while Trowa was away, to the intent that he intended to enjoy whatever time they had together to the fullest. One thing was for certain, they had the rest of the their lives together, and however long or short that time might be, there would be no regrets or putting off until tomorrow what they could squeeze into today. 

A familiar noise came from the sky above him, and Quatre craned his neck to watch the formation of birds flying overhead. Canadian geese flying south with the onset of the cooler climate. The honking grew softer as they gradually disappeared towards the horizon. 

__

I wish I were flying with them, he thought, in a sudden rush of envy. _I wish _we_ were flying with them. _

Trowa missed the Gundams as much as he did, of that he was certain. The war had been hard for all the pilots, teenagers forced into adulthood before their time, and it had come with a price. Even now they still struggled to regain some of that lost childhood, to take the time to explore and discover everyday things which most kids took for granted. It was one of the reasons they'd settled on Earth, and bought a home overlooking the ocean. 

From the first time he'd arrived on Earth, Quatre had been enamoured with its beauty. Although the scientists on the colonies had done their best to imitate their home, once Quatre had seen the template for their creation he couldn't settle for second best.

He took a deep breath, savouring the clean crispness of the salty air. For some reason it always helped clear his head, but this time it was only momentary. This place was too full of memories. Every step he took reminded him of Trowa, of times spent together, exploring the new playground which was life, discovering things they didn't know about themselves and each other along the way. 

The red of the sunrise faded to be replaced by a fine mist heralding the arrival of rain. Quatre pulled the collar of his coat up in an attempt to provide some shelter from the gentle caress of the water against his face, and then sighed. He stood, unbuttoning his coat, staring up at the sky for a moment, before closing his eyes and allowing the rain to flow over him, around him and through him. Reaching out with his empathy he focused on the one person he always had a sense of, no matter how far apart they were. 

It was as though his lover met him half way, two souls intertwining briefly, both aching for the other, but unable to be together. "Soon, my love." If Quatre listened with his heart, he could almost hear Trowa's words.

"I miss you, muHibb [1]," he whispered, wishing that his absent lover could hear him, but glad for the rain streaking his face and hiding his lonely tears. 

"Hey, Cat, you okay?" Quatre turned to see Duo leaning against one of the old trees defining the boundary between the sand and the pebbled path leading back to the road. 

"How long…?" His voice tailed off with a degree of embarrassment. 

"Long enough." Duo's tone echoed his concern. "You invited us for breakfast, and when we arrived and you weren't there Hilde sent me to find you. She worries, you know. We both do." He crossed the small distance between them. "It's okay to miss him. I know he misses you."

Quatre replied with a forced smile. "That obvious, huh?"

"Yep," replied Duo, returning his smile with a grin, before his expression grew sombre. "I remember what it was like when Hilde went to visit her family last spring. Although we'd agreed it wasn't practical for both of us to go, it didn't make the time apart any easier to handle." His friend paused, tucking his braid into his jacket after it caught in a sudden gust of wind. "And this is no different. When you love someone, it's hard to do the right thing and let them go." Duo placed his hands on Quatre's shoulder, and their eyes met. "And you and Tro decided he needed to do this alone, right?"

"Right," Quatre's head didn't agree with his heart but he remembered how distraught Cathy had been. "Damn," he exclaimed, pulling away, "why is doing the right thing always so bloody hard?" He clenched his fists, and kicked at the sand with his feet. "I feel so selfish, Duo, wanting him here when I know Cathy needs him more. At least we still have a future together." 

Not like Cathy and Justin. Their future had been ripped out from under them before it had even begun. He should be thankful, and be thinking forward to his life ahead with Trowa. 

Duo nodded. "Doesn't make it any easier though. He's been away for how long now? Nearly two months?"

"One month, twenty three days," Quatre answered automatically. "You didn't see her face, hear her voice, when she rang us…him with the news." He shook his head. "I could feel her pain, even from that distance. She loved him, Duo. Justin was her soul-mate, the person you want to spend the rest of your life with." Quatre paused. "Like Trowa and I and…"

"Hilde and me." Duo fastened the top button of his jacket and shivered. "At times like this you need family around you but…"

"But what?" 

"Trowa's not the only family she has. Maybe it's time for you to go join him. I'm sure the two of you have more to offer when you aren't pining after each other."

"I am _not_ pining," Quatre stated, in an indignant tone.

"Oh yeah? What would you call it then?" Duo wrapped his arm around Quatre's waist and began walking back towards the path to the cottage. Quatre allowed himself to be led; he didn't have the energy to argue. "What if I told you I've seen someone else with your exact same expression lately?"

"Oh? Who?"

"Trowa." Duo shook his head. "You've given him and Cathy the time they need alone."

"I want to go to Trowa, more than anything in the world. I miss him terribly." Quatre's voice dropped to a whisper, its tone betraying the yearning he was finding harder and harder to ignore. "Especially in the mornings and at night. The way he snuggles against me as we drift off to sleep, seeing his hair sticking up at odd angles in the morning, the conversations over coffee, the walks on this beach." Quatre sighed. "I sound very selfish, don't I?"

"Nope," Duo disagreed. "You sound like someone who misses the person he loves. Let me tell you, I've been here, Cat. Or have you forgotten how I lived on your doorstep and annoyed the hell out of you guys when Hilde was away? I bet you were more relieved than I was when she finally got home."

Quatre couldn't resist a grin. "Yeah, I must admit your timing wasn't too great on several occasions." Quatre remembered one particular time when he and Trowa had been rather busy in the shower, enjoying the heat and steam in more ways than one, when there had been a rather unwelcome knock at the door. Trowa had muttered a few choice comments under his breath, but both had been pleased they'd been able to be there for Duo when he'd needed them. The grin changed to a smirk. Besides, they'd more than made it up to each other later that night. Quatre sighed. "I love the way he rolls his tongue on my…" He tailed off blushing, as he realised he'd thought out loud. 

"Aww, spoilsport," Duo complained. "C'mon, rolls his tongue on your what?" His friend stopped in his tracks, waiting for an answer there was no way he was going to get. 

Forcing himself to keep a straight face at Duo's curious expression, Quatre couldn't resist the temptation to tease. "Well you know how not everyone can curl their tongue?" He poked his own out, attempted to roll the edges together, and failed as he knew he would.

Duo nodded, "Yeah, so? It's a hereditary thing. I remember reading about it once. I can do it, so can Hilde, so our kids probably will be able to. See…" Duo stuck out his own tongue, rolled it several times to prove his point, before closing his mouth again.

"I can't, but Trowa can." Quatre chuckled. "Let's just say Trowa can do a lot of amazing things with his tongue, especially when he rolls it. He's very, umm, flexible in more ways than one." He paused for effect. "But unfortunately that's something only he and I are ever going to know about." 

"Tease," Duo's arm slipped from around Quatre's waist before giving him a friendly dig in the ribs. "And you call yourself a friend."

"Teasing is part of the job description," Quatre returned the jibe with one of his own. "You of all people should know that," He grinned. "Unless you want to give me a blow by blow description of what you and Hilde get up to?"

"Touche," admitted Duo, knowing Quatre had won this round. "Not bad, Winner, considering you're _pining_." He ducked.

"You don't give up, do you?"

"Nope, but that's what you love about me and you know it."

"True," Quatre grew serious again. "I've thought about going, Duo, but one thing concerns me. Cathy's just lost Justin. Wouldn't seeing the two of us together bring home the fact that we still have what she hasn't? I'm not sure I can do that to her."

"Cathy's a brave lady and she knows she has to continue to live in the real world and get on with her life. I think she'd much prefer seeing you guys happy, and have all her family around her, than seeing her baby brother mope around putting on a brave face." Duo sighed. "And Tro's not as good at covering his emotions as he thinks he is, especially where you're concerned. If I can see it, I'm sure she can. Give her some credit, Cat." He stopped, and waved to Hilde, as the cottage came into view. A delicious smell wafted from the kitchen. Eggs and pancakes, Quatre decided, his stomach grumbling in response. 

"Hi, Quatre," Hilde Maxwell gave Quatre a hug and a quick peck on the cheek, before shoving him in the direction of the bathroom. "Go clean up, your breakfast is getting cold. You'll need to eat well with the journey ahead. Can't have you passing out from lack of food on the way, can we?"

Quatre glanced from one to the other. "You two had this all planned before you arrived, didn't you?"

The answering smirk from Duo did more than answer the question. "I wish I could be a fly on the wall when you surprise Trowa. The look on his face is gonna be priceless."

"But," Quatre protested. "I can't just…"

"Sure you can," Duo interrupted. "Geez, you guys need to get out more. The reunion scene is the best part of any romance story, and trust me, it's better this way."

He had to admit the idea was growing on him. The look on Trowa's face, the feel of his lover's arms around him, being with him again, every part of him. Quatre sighed aloud.

"Okay, that's sorted then. C'mon, Cat, you're giving Hilde ideas, with all those horny thoughts you're projecting. Not that I'm complaining," Duo winked. "But hey, get going already. Breakfast first, then go. You've got a husband to surprise."

******

Trowa leaned back against the doorframe of the trailer, wrapping his fingers around his cup, glad for the warmth generated by the hot coffee. He shivered at a sudden gust of wind, pulling his jacket around him tightly.

"You okay, Trowa?" Cathy's voice came from inside the trailer.

"Fine thanks, Cathy," he replied. The past months had been hard on his sister, but Cathy was slowly gluing the pieces of her life back together. Trowa doubted she'd ever fully recover from what had happened, but the important thing was to move forward, remembering the good times, and not dwelling on what now would never be. 

__

I'm not sure how I'd cope if I lost Quatre, he thought, as he had several times while trying to offer comfort since he'd arrived. 

Cathy had been so excited the few days before the accident. Justin had proposed but she hadn't told anyone, except himself and Quatre. Justin was a nice guy, and the two of them had been well suited. Trowa smiled, remembering the comment his own lover had made at the news of their unofficial engagement. 

"I can feel the strength of the love between them," Quatre had placed his hand on his heart as he'd spoken. It was a habit he found hard to break, whenever referring to his empathy or space-heart. "They're right for each other. I just know it." And Quatre's instincts were very seldom wrong. 

Which made what had happened so much harder to accept. "I should have gone with him," Cathy had said when she'd rang them, even when Trowa had pointed out that if she had they'd be mourning two instead of one. "He'd…gone to pick up my ring," she'd completely lost her composure then, her calm facade dissolving into racking sobs, as she'd finally given into her grief. "If I'd gone with him, at least we'd still be together." At those words, he and Quatre had exchanged worried glances and Quatre had packed Trowa's bag while he'd tried to calm his sister the best he could over the vidphone. 

"She needs you, love. And I think it would be better if you went alone. Cathy's vulnerable at present. She needs her family. Go to her." It was only after his journey was half over he'd realised that Quatre had been mistaken on one essential point. Cathy did need her family but she'd thought of Quatre as part of that family for as long as they'd been together. 

But by then it had been too late. They'd had Justin's family and the funeral to deal with, and after discussing it several times with Quatre, they'd both decided the right thing to do was for Trowa to give her quality time on his own. Besides Trowa had reasoned, he wouldn't be away for that long. But a few days, a week at most had turned into nearly two months. 

They'd had to travel to New York for the funeral after Justin's family had insisted he be buried in the family plot. Cathy had held up well, considering his family had refused to acknowledge her relationship with their son. The Connors were rich and had 'connections', but Cathy was a mere circus performer and as such not good enough for their son. There was no way, Mr Connor informed her, that he would have allowed the marriage to go ahead, even if his son had lived. 

Trowa had pointed out calmly that not all families with so called wealth and connections worried about such things, but Connor hadn't been interested in anyone's point of view but his own. The situation had taken an interesting turn when his other son, William, had shown with his girlfriend. Lauren Winner had greeted Trowa very enthusiastically, kissing his cheek and embracing him in a hug.

"You know each other?" Trowa noted Connor's look of surprise with some satisfaction. The man had such an over inflated idea of his own importance, it would be interesting to see how he reacted to this unexpected piece of information.

"Trowa's my brother-in-law," Lauren had explained, before giving Cathy a sympathetic smile. "I'm so sorry to hear about your loss, if there's anything I…we," she amended, glancing at William, "can do, let me know. We were so pleased when Justin told us you were going to be part of his family, especially as you are already part of mine. I'm so very very sorry, and I know saying that doesn't help."

Cathy nodded, her forced smile showing how much she appreciated the sentiment. At least someone in Justin's family was prepared to acknowledge her existence. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

Interesting enough, Connor's opinion of Cathy seemed to rise a few notches. "You must excuse me," his tone was now one of apology as he addressed Trowa. "I hadn't realised you were married to one of Lauren's sisters."

Speaking slowly, to savour the moment, Trowa only just succeeded in keeping his answering smirk well hidden. "I'm not," he replied, his tone deliberately deadpan. "I'm married to her _brother_."

Hearing Cathy dissolve into laughter for the first time since Justin's death had been cathartic for both of them, although she'd controlled herself until the journey home. "Lucky for him that Quatre hadn't been with us," she'd pointed out. "I still remember that time someone told him that _you_ weren't good enough for _him_."

"Quatre can be very protective," Trowa agreed. "Especially in regard to his family." He'd grown silent for a moment, lost in thoughts of his own, but pushed them to one side. His priority was his sister and helping her to come to terms with her own loss. He and Quatre had the rest of their lives together, she'd lost her chance of that with Justin. 

That had been the beginning of Cathy's slow journey back to her old self, although of course some days were better than others. Even just last week she'd wondered aloud, over the early morning coffee they often shared when Trowa stayed, if the pain of her loss would ever lessen. 

"It probably won't lessen, but it will reach a stage where you can live with it," he'd told her. "The pain is a reminder of the depth of the feeling you had for each other, and when you feel it, try to remember the good times. He'll always be with you, Cathy," Trowa indicated his heart, "in here. And nothing can take that from you." 

Sighing, Trowa absently ran one finger around the rim of his cup, his wedding band making a soft clink against the clay, as he thought back over that conversation of only two weeks ago. She'd come so far, but was it far enough?

The wind sent another shiver through him. The morning chill served as a reminder that the seasons were once again changing. The summer sun was slowly losing its warmth, and autumn would soon make way for winter. A sliver of light through the trees in the small grove where the circus had set up camp brought a smile to Trowa's lips. Quatre loved the change of seasons, especially the autumn. The metamorphosis of leaves from green to red fascinated him, and they'd spent hours playing in the fallen foliage. Two young men behaving like the teenagers they'd never had the chance to be. And Quatre was damn sneaky with it. Trowa had lost count of the number of times he'd been the recipient of leaves down his shirt. But he wasn't complaining, Quatre's joy in the little things in life others often took for granted had awakened a side of himself he hadn't realised even existed.

It was a shame they couldn't live in those moments forever, forgetting all responsibilities to just enjoy each other's company. Trowa smiled again, his thoughts drifting to the definite up side of their playtime amongst the leaves. After all it was amazing just where those leaves managed to get, and it wouldn't have been fair to not allow his lover to help remove them. Cleaning up afterwards, as Quatre insisted with a grin, was half, if not the best part of the fun. 

__

I miss you, Cat, he thought, his gaze following a lone leaf caught in the wind, blowing first one way, then the other until it finally blew away. If he closed his eyes, Trowa could almost feel a soft caress against his cheek, firm lips meeting his own, the familiar whisper of green apple and spice he'd come to associate with his absent lover. "Soon, my love" he whispered.

"I miss you, muHibb." The imagined answered phrase from Quatre came with a sense of melancholy which washed over him to gently brush his consciousness before it was gone. Was it his loneliness or an echo of Quatre's? 

"Are you sure you're okay, Tro?" Cathy's hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality and he opened his eyes, turning to give her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Trowa took another sip of his coffee, before pulling a face. 

"Cold?" Cathy laughed at his answering nod. "That happens when you sit out here for an hour or so." Her voice softened. "You miss Quatre don't you?" 

"Yes," he admitted, "but…"

"You're a good brother, Trowa," Cathy interrupted, "but I think it's time you got your own life back in order."

Trowa opened his mouth to protest but she shushed him. "I appreciate everything you've done and I couldn't have gotten through the past few months without you." Cathy paused, "but I know I have to move forward. And I can't do that with you holding my hand every step of the way." She leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Besides a little bird told me your husband is…what was the word he used? …Pining for you."

"Pining?" Trowa frowned.

His sister grinned, taking the empty cup from him. "Just repeating what I was told. Apparently Duo had already guessed you were doing the same."

"I am not pining," Trowa sighed. He'd known Duo was planning something when he'd phoned last week. The whole conversation had been an obvious pretext for something, but Trowa hadn't been able to figure out what. Duo had spent a lot of the conversation talking about the weather, before launching into a detailed description of what he and Quatre had been doing earlier that day. Trowa had felt a momentarily pang of something akin to jealousy over the fact Duo had been able to spend the time with Quatre he couldn't, and had immediately phoned his lover as soon as Duo had cut the connection on his own call. 

"Oh?" The undercurrent of amusement in her tone was a good sign of the progress she'd made since Justin's death.

"I do miss him, Cathy." Trowa's voice was soft, the yearning in it obvious even to himself. In the middle of last night, he'd instinctively moved to snuggle up against Quatre, only to awaken fully with a start to realise he was alone. It was part of the reason he was so restless this morning. It was important to give Cathy the support she still needed but he couldn't ignore his growing loneliness. "But I'm not pining."

"Stop being so pig headed, Trowa Bloom Winner," Cathy scolded, pulling him to his feet and pushing him into the trailer. "As soon as you've got something more substantial on your stomach you're getting in that car and going home."

"But…" Cathy's expression stopped him protesting further. There had never been any point arguing with her when she got like this. It was something she had in common with Quatre. Both of them were stubborn in their own way, and he'd found from experience there were often more subtle ways to deal with these situations. 

"I'm fine, Trowa, honest. And things aren't going to get back to normal until you go home. You always did have a tendency to be over protective and it's showing." 

"I'm not over protective. Quatre's the over protective one." 

Cathy raised one eyebrow. "That's what you say. He insists it's the other way round."

"Quatre said that?" What else had the two of them discussed? "I'll phone to let him know I'm coming home." He couldn't resist a smirk. "That my _over protective_ sister is throwing me out on the street now that she doesn't need me any more."

"I'll give you over protective sister," Cathy laughed. "And no, you're not calling him."

"Huh?"

"Romance, Tro, that's the name of the game. Wouldn't you rather surprise him?" She matched his smirk. "I'm sure he'd be so overwhelmed to see you…" Cathy let her voice trail off deliberately although the implications of what were left unsaid were more than clear. 

"I'm going to pack now," Trowa told her, not wanting to continue the conversion further. He had enough ideas regarding how he and his husband were going to celebrate his homecoming without the disturbing thought that his _sister_ had more than an inkling of what they might be. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, Cathy."

"Thank _you_," she replied. "And I hope you're hungry because I intend to make sure you're well fed before you leave." Cathy smirked, before continuing. "Because I get the feeling you're going to need your stamina for what's ahead." 

******

The phone rang once, twice, three times. Cathy tapped one finger on the table impatiently. _Pick up_, she thought. _Damn it, pick up._

"Oh hi, Cathy." Duo's expression and tone were equally smug. "Plan A went without a hitch," he explained. "How about your end?"

"Hook, line and sinker," she answered. "They've been apart too damn long, Duo. I don't know what's worse, Tro's over protectiveness or Cat's determination to do the 'right thing'. They're both as stubborn as hell, so it was way past time someone gave at least one of them a shove in the right direction." Cathy sighed. "Trowa's sweet the way he's so protective, and I love him for it, but, let's just say it's good he's finally on his way home." 

"On his way? Shit, you mean now?" Duo frowned, and she could see his mind going into over drive. 

Cathy nodded. "Tro left about half an hour ago." She glanced at her watch. "And at the speed he was going, he should reach home in a few hours. _If_ he doesn't get pulled over first."

"Shit," Duo repeated. "Cat's on his way too. I knew this was working way too well. Damn. Be right back." And with that the phone went dead. 

For a moment, Cathy just stood staring at the phone and the now blank screen, shaking her head in disbelief. "I knew this so-called plan was too good to be true, but no, Duo insisted he was the romance movie expert." She rolled her eyes, and walked into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee while she waited for Duo to ring back. 

"His phone's switched off," Duo announced a few minutes later, "or he's ignoring it. Don't suppose you could try Tro?" He groaned. "All this work and they're gonna miss each other. I just know it!"

Holding up Trowa's phone so Duo could see it, Cathy answered him with as much of a straight face as she could manage. "That's going to be a bit difficult." 

******

Quatre cursed under his breath. The damn phone was just that bit out of reach. He'd have to pull over to answer it. His vehicle swerved to the left as he took his eyes off the road for a minute as another attempt to snag the phone sent it careening off the dashboard onto the floor. 

Damn! Quatre glanced into his rear view mirror, checking for any sign of traffic on the deserted back road, and pulled off the road. "This had better be important," he groused. Bending to pick up the phone, he spoke more harshly than he had intended. "Yes?" 

But he was met with a resounding silence as the person on the other end rang off. "Guess it wasn't that important after all," Quatre surmised, shrugging before switching it off. Whoever it was, they could wait until after Trowa and he had celebrated their reunion properly. There was no way he was taking the chance of someone interrupting them at the crucial moment, and he wasn't in the mood to explain why he wasn't going to be coming into work today. Duo had promised to ring his secretary and to quote 'sort things out'. All he was concerned about was meeting Trowa and making up for lost time. He'd spent nearly two months waiting for this, and he wasn't going to allow anything or anyone to stand in his way.

__

Two months, Quatre sighed, pulling out onto the road once more. 

Flicking on the CD player, he made a conscious attempt to distract himself. Cathy was moving on with her life, it was time he and Trowa did the same. If Trowa were still needed for a while longer, he'd stay to add his own support, but this time not from a distance. Hopefully Duo was right and it was time for Trowa to come home. Cathy had seemed a lot better last time he'd spoken with her, but he knew how hard it was to persuade Trowa of anything once he was in 'over protective' mode. He'd have to access the situation and formulate the best plan of action once he arrived. 

The realisation he was applying his gift for strategy to his current situation suddenly occurred to him and stifling a laugh, Quatre glanced at his watch again. He was nearly half way there. Another few hours and he'd be with Trowa again. 

"The reunion scene is the best part of any romance story." Remembering Duo's words, Quatre couldn't help but sigh, his hands tightening their grip on the steering wheel, as his mind helpfully supplied suggestions to ensure their reunion would be something neither of them would forget. 

"Oh, Trowa, I've missed you," he whispered, glancing absently at the car passing his, the first he'd seen in hours. The back road route Duo had suggested had cut quite a few hours off the journey, but it had taken him a while to get used to the lack of traffic. He doubted the road even existed on modern maps, judging from the number of potholes and the like he'd encountered. Still, with the type of vehicle he and Trowa preferred to drive, it wasn't a problem. Quatre grinned, remembering the car salesman taking one look at his expensive business suit and attempting to sell him a flashy sedan. A four-wheel drive wasn't a Gundam by any means, but he still liked the feel of the powerful engine, and besides, the sedan was something his father would have preferred. And that was an image he definitely did not want. 

Another four-wheel drive similar to his passed him at speed, and it took a few minutes to register why it seemed so familiar. "What the?" Quatre slammed on the brakes, noticing the other driver do the same. 

Throwing the gear stick into reverse, he backed up, parking quickly on the side of the road before slamming the driver's door behind him as he ran towards his lover. "Trowa?" 

"Cat, what on earth?" Trowa met him half way, his question muffled by Quatre's mouth over his own. 

They clung to each other for a few moments, losing themselves in the kiss, fingers tangling through hair, stroking and caressing in an effort to convince themselves the other were real. Quatre drank in the essence that was Trowa, quenching his thirst both physically and emotionally in a desperation reminiscent of a man discovering water again after months of crossing a dry desert. 

After what seemed like an eternity yet still wasn't long enough, Quatre reluctantly ended the kiss. "I was coming to…" Both men came out with the words at once, broke off and laughed. 

"You first," said Trowa, his embrace still firm, his breath soft but warm against Quatre's cheek. 

"I've missed you terribly," Quatre paused and grinned. "Duo insisted I've been pining." He rolled his eyes. "Not sure where he got that idea from."

"Probably the same place Cathy did," Trowa observed dryly. "She used the same phrase to me."

"Really?" Quatre's grin turned to a frown. "I'm beginning to smell a very large braided rat." Duo's hints over the past few weeks had obviously been the scouting mission of a very carefully thought out battle scenario. He nodded his head in approval. "And people say I'm the strategist. I'm presuming they weren't expecting us to both take the bait at once." Something else clicked into place, and Quatre checked his watch. "What time did you leave this morning?"

"Eight," Trowa confirmed, green eyes twinkling after he also put two and two together.

"Figured as much." Quatre laughed. "My phone rang about that time, and whoever it was cut the connection just before I managed to pick up."

"So," mused Trowa, his lips turning up into a smirk. "Should we confirm their plan was a success, or…" His voice tailed off as the sensitive skin at the base of Quatre's collarbone provided somewhat of a distraction. 

"Umm…" Quatre's ability to concentrate was beginning to wane. Trowa had moved from his collarbone down to his chest, undoing shirt buttons as he went. "Maybe we should find somewhere more private and _then_ we can put them out of their misery. After all, it won't take us that long to get re-acquainted, will it?" Quatre met his husband's eye, recognising the all too familiar glint. "On second thought, we'd better ring them first."

"Enroute to the hotel perhaps?" Trowa suggested. "I passed one about fifteen minutes ago, and the sign indicated it had rooms available." He laughed at Quatre's disbelief. "There's a town just over that ridge. The deserted highway doesn't go on forever, it just seems like it." 

"Okay, I'll follow you." 

"I'm counting on it." 

Quatre kissed him again and winked. "Unless you come first of course." 

"Of course," Trowa deadpanned, reaching over and retrieving Quatre's phone from the passenger seat as they reached his car. He switched it on and grinned. "It appears you have six messages. Interestingly enough they appear to be all from Duo. I wonder what could have happened to cause all this concern?" 

Quatre shrugged, smirking. "I have no idea. Do you want to phone him or shall I?" 

"You can, I always enjoy watching you play the innocent," Trowa answered his smirk with one of his own. 

Not surprisingly Duo picked up on the second ring. "Quatre?" The sigh of relief on the other end was more than obvious. "Listen buddy, you've got to turn back…"

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that, Duo." Quatre kept his voice even. "I appear to have run into some," he stifled a moan as Trowa did his best to distract him further, "umm, distractions. I doubt you'll be able to reach me for at least a day."

"Two days," Trowa murmured, his fingers reaching for Quatre's fly. 

"Two days," Quatre amended. "At least. Maybe more." He smacked Trowa's hand playfully. "Hotel," he chastised, "stop teasing."

"Cat?" He could hear the snigger even through the bad connection. "Is Trowa there?" 

"Quatre's busy at present, Duo." Trowa relieved Quatre of his phone. "Thanks for your help, and say hi to Cathy for us as I'm sure she's waiting to hear from you. Bye." It was a shame there was no vid feed on the cell. The expression on Duo's face would have been worth seeing. 

But for now he was more than happy with the look on Trowa's, as their lips met in another kiss. Hmmm, was two days going to be enough? After all they had nearly two months of lost opportunity to make up for. 

Quatre leaned in closer as Trowa deepened the kiss, absently wondering if the hotel had trees. After all it was still autumn, their favourite time of year.

~Fin~

[1] _MuHibb_ is Arabian for 'lover'


End file.
